


The Way We Started--Together

by CaptainDeryn



Series: Wardens of Thedas [2]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Gen, Multiple Wardens (Dragon Age), Spoilers, warden sisters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-12
Updated: 2018-03-12
Packaged: 2019-03-30 13:37:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13952715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptainDeryn/pseuds/CaptainDeryn
Summary: Ostagar is under siege, the world is burning. Two wardens, sisters separated at a young age, have just found each other again. In the smoke and ash, they find themselves being torn apart once again.





	The Way We Started--Together

The night was dark, the stench of darkspawn and ash threatening to choke Ruinel. The stone walls around her were cast in deep shadow aside from the bright highlighter of the flames and the shadows of her sister and two soldiers with them were dark figures stalking their every move. Already they were bruised and bleeding, she and Laurel had been caught on the bridge when it had been hit and the groups of darkspawn they had faced since had not been kind to them. But still, they fought on. 

Two floors into the Tower of Ishal and they had already suffered a loss. The Tower Guard that had been with them had been caught by an unlucky darkpawn arrow to the chest. Ruinel’s hands still shook, even clamped around her staff. For nearly fifteen years she had lived in the shelter of the Circle, separated from the world at large. So much death in less than a day hit her like a ton of bricks, pulling at her mind in the rests between the mental barriers of spell casting. 

“You still alright?” She started, glancing over at Laurel. Fifteen years was a long time to have been separated, but already they were treating each other like sisters. The tentative concern was not something shared among soldiers just met. But, they had already gone through more than any just reunited sisters. Darkspawn, the Wilds, the Joining. None of it able to be endured alone. 

“Fine. You?” She managed between gasping breaths, catching against the wall as they paused at yet another door. The floor behind them was littered with corpses and she swallowed hard, closing her eyes to try and clear it from her mind. 

“I think this door leads to the top of the tower.” The guard– they didn’t even know the fallen guard’s name, nor the one of the man who spoke. “Let’s go.” 

“We’ve taken too long with the darkspawn here, we need to hurry.” Laurel took the lead, pushing open the door. She froze only steps in and Ruinel lost what little breath she had regained when she stepped up beside her. The massive grey beast, horned and rippling with coiled muscles, crouched in the middle of the tower room. With mounting horror Ruinel took in the bodies littering the floor, and the blood gathering at the feet of the creature. Laurel had her arm thrown out in front of Ruinel, keeping her from going any further and they shared a wide eyed glance. 

The beast noticed them seconds after they entered, turning slowly at first and then whipping around, its great maw opening in a bone-shaking roar. Spit flew from its mouth and the small group raised their weapons. 

“Ruinel, get to the side it’ll be easier for you to attack!” Laurel shouted over the beast’s roar, already scrambling to get behind it. Without question Ruinel dove to the side, putting her back to the wall and calling on all her remaining strength and concentration. At first her attacks seemed to do nothing, the arcane bolts she shot from her staff seeming to merely bouncing off the creature’s hide. The freezing ice she called on to halt it’s attacks only lasted seconds before it was broken, and the same cold sent flying at it had only served to anger it. But soon the soldier and Laurel’s attacks began to weaken it and her magic could more easily damage the creature. It was a final bolt of arcane energy along with the stab of a dagger that brought the creature to the ground, shaking the tower to its very roots.

“Light the beacon! Loghain needs the signal to aid the king.” 

The beacon exploded upwards in a pillar of flame and Ruinel stumbled back, lifting her arm to shield her eyes. She turned her back on the bright flame, moving to look over the edge of the Tower to the battle below. Trees and the stone ruins blocked some of it from view, but they could see the fighting that went on closest to the woods. Glowing embers sparked in the sky from flames burning all around the battle and the dark sillouetes of darkspawn could be seen rippling among the shadows. 

“They’re outnumbered! Where are Loghain’s men?” Ruinel looked over to Laurel, seeing her mouth set in a thin line. Her sister lifted her hand, pointing towards a dark mass moving away from the battle. 

“That coward.” Laurel spat. “That bastard is-” 

“What happened?” Ruinel followed her horror filled look, settling on the massive form that had just broken the lines of darkspawn and soldiers alike. Horned and bulky, just as the beast they had faced but much, _much_  larger. “There has to be something we can do!”

“We’d never reach them fast enough. Oh Ruinel don’t look.” It was too late though, both elves saw the golden glint of the king’s armor seized up by the creature, heard it’s roar. They saw the golden glint get tossed aside like a rag doll and saw the dark spawn swarm and rally.

“There’re too many, what do we do now?” In the breath after her words they heard the thundering of many feet bearing towards them. Laurel’s mouth moved silently- _darkspawn_. 

“We finish it the same way we started this Ruinel–together.” Laurel’s voice was strong, her hand finding Ruinel’s and squeezing it quickly before she drew her weapons and squared up to the door. It flew open with a crack, the wood shattering against the stone of the tower’s walls. The soldier had already fallen when Ruinel threw out the most powerful spell she could muster. It only brought down a few of the tide that broke against the door. The next incantation she called on broke off in a scream, her staff falling to the ground with a clatter as an arrow embedded itself in her shoulder. Her back hit one of the pillars, her hand coming away from her shoulder slick with blood. 

“Ru!” Laurel dove in front of her, shield less and weaponless except for her two daggers. Two darkpawn fell by her blades, two more falling with terrible screeches when she threw her daggers. 

Then suddenly she went still, freezing in time for a moment before her knees buckled and she collapsed onto her back. “Laurel!” Ruinel cried, lunging for her staff again despite the pain flaring through her shoulder. Stumbling to her feet she took the few halting steps it took for her to stand beside her sister, staff leveled. She couldn’t tell if her sister was still alive, the three arrows she had seen hit her flashing in front of her eyes. 

With a shout she raised her weapon, pulling the last of her reserve to send out a wave of energy. It sent the hoard back several feet, some hitting the walls and not getting back up. But for every one that fell two more took it’s place and archers raised their bows again. Another, weaker energy burst was her last defense, a cyclone of frigid energy spiraling out from her. Her own cry was muted in her ears as pain hit her and in a daze she looked down, seeing three arrows. She hit the ground like a stone, inches away from her sister as darkness overtook Ostagar.

**Author's Note:**

> This was written prior to my combining of my Cousland, Mahariel, and Surana into one universe. 
> 
> Mahariel doesn't belong to me, she belongs to my friend on tumblr (with permission to write her). Find me there as captainderyn !


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